Q&A with TMU’s Director of Cinema and Digital Arts

Prof. Matt Green leads the Cinema and Digital Arts program at The Master’s University. He recently sat down with TMU Magazine to discuss the program’s latest project, “The Descent,” a thriller based on the book of Revelation. The project — which is the second feature film produced by the University and its students — is expected to be available on a streaming platform this year.

Q: What is the film about and how do you think it is relevant to this day and age?

A: The film deals with Revelation 9, at the end times. Everybody wants to know what’s going to happen in the end times. The beauty of it is we have the answer in the book of Revelation — John’s vision that he received. The film is relevant especially with all the chaos in the world. Our president, Dr. (Abner) Chou, always talks about how he likes us to create content that is timely and timeless. I think that this film is both.

Q: How many students were involved in the project and what kind of roles did they have?

A: We had close to 60 students work on the entire production. Almost the entire camera department was student led. We had five Winterim classes working on it. Those are all overseen by professors. The rest of it was student run. Six students oversaw the production design. The costume for our “creature” was built by a student, Catalina Sonnenburg, who just graduated last year. In the production team, we had three student producers: Miranda Watson, Mark Hoffman, and Isaac Busenitz. Every visual effects shot was done by Isaac. We give general oversight as professors, but the students are really the ones who are the boots on the ground.

Q: When it comes to training your students, how much do you focus on teaching theory and how much do you focus on practical experience?

A: I think that those work together. As a professor, I’m responsible for all the students who are coming here. They’re getting an education that’s hopefully going to lead them to jobs; to just teach them only theory, and not a practical component, is not going to help get them work. By the time students graduate, I want them to have legitimate products that have been distributed. We have a graduate, a young lady, who was a producer on the first feature we did. She’s now very successful back on the East Coast. She got to produce another feature film because she had already produced one with us. That carries a lot of weight. Now, students have a curated resume even before they graduate. That’s what makes us unique. No other school does full-length feature films, with the students working on it. It’s a lot of work, but because we’re a smaller school, we can be more nimble and flexible.

Q: When and where can people find “The Descent”?

A: In the next month or so, we’ll know when the film will be released. It will be on a streaming platform — which one is yet to be determined. We’re also trying to get a theatrical release. We’ll see what the Lord’s plan is.

Q: What is next for the CDA department?

A: Cinema and Digital Arts just became its own major at TMU. I think from a student perspective, it’s way better for branding. This legitimizes your degree and your field of study a little bit more. Also, this summer we’re going to do another feature. We are trying to work on a deal with another company that would guarantee us distribution. Lord willing, that will happen.

TMU’s Cinema and Digital Arts program is designed to train the next generation of artists to recognize God as the ultimate creative force and to reflect this knowledge in what and how they create. Learn more at masters.edu/CDA.

Subscribe to the Magazine